


The Shortcut Home

by confessorlove



Category: White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-04
Updated: 2014-10-04
Packaged: 2018-02-19 21:11:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2403026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/confessorlove/pseuds/confessorlove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rachel Turner aka Rebecca Lowe never joined MI-5.  Instead, she chose a path which led her to American soil and the FBI.</p>
<p>After an undercover operation with the Counterterrorism unit goes south, FBI Agent Rachel Turner is reassigned to the White Collar Division. It's there where she's forced to question her morals, desires, and if she really knows where she truly belongs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shortcut Home

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the White Collar Big Bang on Livejournal. Many thanks to my friend for cheerleading me on through this whole process, also to treonb for creating the wonderful art that can be found [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RHWo1anzfs).

Slipping into someone else’s skin was second nature. It came as easily as breathing, so assignment after assignment was just a blur of cases cracked, problems solved, bad guys stopped, and aliases.  With the taste of wine on her tongue and Egyptian cotton sheets wrapped around her nude form, it felt like the good life.  Temptation was a dangerous game and she thought she could outrun it, but it ensnared her in a web of lies she could not climb out of.  Regardless of how hard she tried, she was trapped. Twisting and turning only tightened the noose until she was practically hung.

No matter how quick she could work to admit her mistakes it would never be enough.  Rain fell from the sky and splashed on the pavement as she ran. His voice still echoed throughout her mind while her clothes grew damp and the puddles splashed around her ankles.

The cool metal of her gun’s grip was enough to temper the rage she felt when she busted through the door not moments too late. The gunshot still reverberated through the walls and she could smell the acrid burning scent still lingering in the air.

“What happened?”  The words were barely out of her mouth when she stepped through the door and was assaulted by a different kind of scent.  The metallic scent of blood overwhelmed her senses before she saw the man on the floor.  Blood contrasted brilliantly against the white of his shirt but it was his face she recognized.  That mask of carefree aloofness slipped from her and she stared at his body. Blood dribbled from his lip and it was then that she realized he was still taking extremely slow and labored breaths.

“Tim…”  Her voice was barely a whisper but something inside her flipped. Lightening flashed beyond the window and the boom of thunder shook her, but its intensity was matched only by her anger.

The dying man murmured something she couldn’t hear before his chest stilled and she blinked rapidly to clear her vision. Her gaze lifted then and it fell on her target.  The man she had been ordered to get close to in order to stop a threat on US soil. She’d gotten close, too close. He tempted her in so many ways and now Tim paid the price.  He was still holding the smoking gun, wiping the fingerprints away with a handkerchief, while Rachel’s rose.

“Bonnie, love,” he said when he noticed her gun. “Be a dear and put that away.”

Shaking her head Rachel blinked her tears away and pulled back the safety on her gun.  “Sorry. I can’t do that,” she retorted with venom in her tone.

He gestured towards the corpse on the floor vaguely. “He’s a fed.”

Instantly her features contorted into a near evil smirk.  “So am I, and I never miss.”

And with that, she squeezed the trigger. The earthshattering sound and acrid stench overwhelmed her senses until the body dropped.  Her arm remained outstretched, gun pointed at nothing for what seemed like years while her mind struggled to process everything. It was difficult, but she could manage it.

Once her hand was finally lowered she knew this was trouble.  There was a line you couldn’t come back from and this time it seemed like she crossed it. Only time would tell what could be done.

-

Things had been changing a lot at White Collar. First Peter was in jail but now he was back.  His name was cleared and not once did Neal feel guilty about what he had done to secure his friend’s freedom.  Peter was a good man and didn’t deserve to sit behind bars for a murder his father had committed. That didn’t sit right with Neal.

Once he was back Peter’s promotion didn’t come as much of a surprise.  At least it wasn’t as much of a surprise as Diana’s pregnancy had been.  That was something that completely threw Neal for a loop, despite how happy he was for Diana and little baby Theo.  However, the biggest change came from what Peter told him as they walked into the FBI one morning a few days after Theo was born.

“A new agent?”  Peter nodded and Neal felt himself grimace.  “Diana’s not going to be on maternity leave for that long. What’s the point of bringing in someone else now when she’ll be back in a couple months?”

Peter glanced over at him and Neal did his best not to feel like a small child about to be scolded.  “With our closure rate up they thought we could use an extra agent. She’ll be sticking around even after Diana returns.”

“She?”  Neal’s tone considerably brightened as he picked up his pace to keep up with Peter.

“Don’t even think about it, Neal.”

The conman scoffed.  “I’m not thinking about anything.  Jeez, Peter.  Have a little faith.”  He flipped his fedora onto his head then as they entered the elevator which would take them up to the White Collar Division.

The older man hit the button for White Collar’s floor before he turned to look at Neal.  “I mean it, Neal. She’s here to do a job.”

A smirk appeared on Neal’s face as the elevator reached their floor.  “When am I anything less than professional?”

“Is that a trick question?”  Peter’s tone was teasing, but there was a hint of seriousness to it that didn’t escape his notice.  It would have been hard not to.  After all, Neal was not always the most professional person in the world. He knew that about himself and at times even took pride in it.  Nothing was going to change about that.

By the time they reached the White Collar Division, Neal was more than a little curious about the new addition to the team. It seemed to be a rather sudden move to bring someone else in, but Neal knew better than to question Peter’s decision. After all, he was ASAC now. If he thought the division could use a new pair of hands then nothing would stop him.  Overhead the elevator dinged upon reaching their floor and the pair of them stepped out of the elevator.

As usual, there was a flurry of activity happening at White Collar.  Neal spotted people rushing to and fro while answering phones.  Jones had been over by the coffee machine when they entered the office, but the moment the man saw them he made a bee-line straight for Peter. “Morning Peter,” Jones said while Neal dropped his fedora off on his desk.  “Agent Turner is waiting in your office.”

Almost on instinct, Jones’ words made Neal’s eyes flick up towards the glass walls of Peter’s office.  All he could see was the back of a woman’s head where she sat in the chair waiting for him.  She was ginger, and that only served to peak Neal’s curiosity even further. “Neal,” Peter’s warning tone sounded and the conman quickly flipped his attention to the older man. “Get to work.”

Cheekily, Neal grinned at Peter as Jones handed him a file.  “I always do.”

-

A demotion was the last thing that Rachel Turner had ever expected.  She’d graduated top of her class from Quantico and swiftly rose through the ranks to the counterterrorism squad.  It was what she wanted to do. It made her feel like she was actually making a difference except one undercover job went south and after six weeks on unpaid administrative leave during an investigation, she was shipped to White Collar of all places.  Her skills would go to waste in a place like White Collar.  All they did was push paperwork and deal with crooked bond traders. It was a waste of time. Why did they even need her? They probably didn’t, Rachel decided. It was a punishment, but if she kept her nose clean and did what she was told, maybe she’d make it back to counterterrorism. Although, she was forced to admit it was better than being on leave.

The sound of footsteps behind her alerted Rachel to Agent Burke’s approach before anything else did.  She straightened in the chair and tried to hide how much she didn’t want to be there.  What use could she be? It seemed pointless. How could she prove herself if there was nothing but paperwork?

“Ah, Agent Turner,” Peter said as he came into his office and shut the door behind him.  The man quickly took a seat behind his desk as he carefully observed her. “So you’ve been transferred over from counterterrorism.  I must admit I was surprised to find your file on my desk.”

Rachel hooked a lock of hair behind her ear while she carefully judged Peter’s expression.  “Please, call me Rachel.”  She shrugged slightly and skillfully hid how uncomfortable it made her to discuss her transfer.  It had been a slap in the face.  The undercover mission went sour and someone ended up dead.  It wasn’t her fault, or at least that was what she told herself, and yet here she was. Clearly someone thought it was. “I was surprised to be transferred here as well, Agent Burke, but I’m certain we can make the most of it.”

Peter nodded as his gaze dropped to scan over Rachel’s file.  “Your file is impressive. I know White Collar would not have been your first choice of assignment, but I think you’ll fit in well here.”

It did not escape her notice that he neglected to mention the marks on her record, but she was grateful for it. “Thank you, sir. I hope to.”  She left it unsaid that she had to if she ever wanted to get back to what she loved doing.  Undoubtedly Peter was already aware of that situation.  He seemed like a decent man that could help her now and then. That was what she needed. Getting back on track on her own seemed like it could be impossible.  Maybe with help she could manage it.

“Your desk is down there, the empty one next to Caffrey’s.”  Peter paused for a moment and glanced out at the bullpen before his attention turned back to Rachel.   “What do you know about Caffrey?”

A single eyebrow rose as she tried to decide if this was some sort of trick question.  “He’s a bond forger out of prison on a tracking anklet working as your CI. From what I’ve heard this unit has an impressive case closure rate all because of his insights.”

Peter nodded.  “Mhm, he is all that.  He loves to push the limits and he’s almost always up to something.  Don’t let him charm you because he’ll try. He will definitely try.”

Slowly an amused smile curled up the corners of her lips.  “Don’t worry, Agent Burke. I can handle one cocky conman.”

“Don’t underestimate him,” Peter replied. “It’s a mistake you won’t soon forget.”

Rachel’s hair shifted slightly as she shook her head. “I think he’ll learn soon enough that I’m the one who shouldn’t be underestimated.  It’s the fatal flaw all male criminals have. They can’t see the potential of women.” It was true, and it had been Rachel’s advantage in more cases than she could count.  Undoubtedly the same rules would apply here. A criminal was a criminal regardless of if they killed people for a living or printed fake money. They were all cut from the same cloth.

Peter’s eyebrow rose slightly but he nodded all the same.  “Even still, be careful around him.  He’s a charmer and will do anything in his power to wrap people around his finger.” 

She could see there was something Peter wasn’t saying. It didn’t take a trained agent to figure that out.  Rachel assumed it had something to do with the fact that she was female.  All conmen loved to flirt.  It was something she’d grown used to while working with criminals. “I’ll do my best, sir.”

“See that you do,” Peter replied before looking over her shoulder into the bullpen.  Peter gave a double finger point and soon enough Rachel heard footsteps on the stairs once more.  She turned to face the newcomer and was taken aback by the man she saw.  Whatever she’d been expecting from Neal Caffrey, this certainly wasn’t it.  “Neal,” Peter said once Neal had entered his office.  “I’d like you to meet Agent Rachel Turner.  She’s our new transfer agent.”

Rachel glanced up at Neal just as his face lit up. “It’s a pleasure,” Neal said in a way that made it clear he knew how to win people over right from the start. He smiled down at her before tilting his head over towards Peter.  “He’s warned you about me, hasn’t he?”

“Of course,” she replied with a grin. “But nevertheless it’s nice to meet you, Neal.”  Not only did Rachel crave a good first impression on Peter so she could get back to counterterrorism sooner rather than later, she also didn’t want Neal to think she could be easily won over.  A man like that undoubtedly had women flocking to him, but she wasn’t about to be one of them.

Peter chimed in then with a slight chuckle upon realizing Neal had stopped smirking.  “I have to take away your fun some way, Neal.  You know that.”

Neal nodded solemnly.  “Oh that I do.”

Somehow Rachel knew that by taking away some of Neal’s fun, Peter had only turned things into a challenge.  She was going to win even if neither of them realized that. Clearing her throat, Rachel looked over at Peter.  “If there isn’t anything else, Agent Burke, I’d like to get to work.”

“Oh of course, Rachel.  If you need any help getting settled in just let someone know,” Peter replied with a poignant look at Neal.  Considering Rachel could already see the wheels turning in his head, she couldn’t blame him.  After spending enough time around criminals, she’d learned to think like them.

Without so much as a second thought, Rachel stood up and gave Peter a slight nod.  “Thank you again for this opportunity,” she replied before her gaze shifted to Neal. “It was nice to meet you.” A sweet smile graced Rachel’s lips before she brushed past Neal to leave the room.  As she left she could practically feel his gaze on her but there was only one thing she could think.  _In your dreams, Caffrey._

-

Unfortunately keeping her nose clean in the White Collar Division was more difficult than Rachel had anticipated. Counterterrorism was one thing, but dealing with Neal Caffrey’s charming smile and sarcastic remarks was not something she’d been prepared for.  Honestly, Rachel didn’t think she’d met anyone like him before.

“Is he always like this,” Rachel offhandedly asked while Neal sat at his desk with his feet on it, seeming more like a teenage boy than anything else.

Jones put the coffee pot back and glanced over towards Neal.  “Caffrey? Yeah, he’s got a style all his own.”

Rachel couldn’t help but chuckle at that. It would have been impossible not to notice that smooth style.  Designer suits and fedoras.  Where had he gotten them? Last time she checked he was still a criminal and those were still expensive.  Of course, the Bureau did tend to turn a blind eye to things when at the end of the day cases were being closed.  That was something she’d learned rather quickly in counterterrorism. The best results where the quickest when you weren’t afraid to color outside the lines.  That was what she’d learned and that was why her demotion came as such a shock.

Neal glanced in her direction and the moment she noticed, Rachel took a sip of her coffee and turned to face Jones. “It’s like he knows I was watching him.”

“He probably does.  He’s got a wicked sixth sense for those sorts of things. Maybe it’s paranoia but spending too much time with the little guy would do that to anyone,” he chuckled.

One slender eyebrow rose skeptically as she thought about what Jones said.  “The little guy?”

Jones took a sip of his coffee then smiled. “So you haven’t had the pleasure? He’s Caffrey’s partner in crime. Short, bald, and probably the most paranoid man I’ve ever met in my life.”

“I’ll have to keep my eyes open for him then, huh?” When Jones nodded she glanced around the office.  “If he’s so paranoid then why does he put up with having a friend on a tracking anklet?” Honestly it didn’t make any sense to her.  GPS was far too easy to trace.

“You’d have to ask him,” Jones replied before Peter called him up to his office, leaving Rachel alone by the coffee pot.

Maybe she would ask him if she ever got the chance. Once more Rachel glanced over in Neal’s direction but the moment she realized he was the one who’d been watching her, she looked away.  Apparently today was the day she failed at subtlety Peter had told her to keep her guard up around him so that was exactly what she intended to do.  It just wasn’t easy when it felt like he was watching her all the time.  It would have been easier had Neal taken to pretending she didn’t exist.  It would have made everything so much simpler.

A sigh fell from her lips but before it had completely passed, Rachel felt a hand on the small of her back and it sent a surprised jolt through her system.  “Whoops, watch yourself,” Neal’s satin tone murmured as he slipped past her and allowed his hand to slide along her back as he did so.  “Wouldn’t wanna spill that coffee now would you, Rach? It would stain.”

Quickly she turned towards him as her eyebrow rose. The feeling of closeness was unfortunately not as easy to shake off as she thought it would be. “I figured it would. This stuff is like mud.” She opened her mouth to say something else but swiftly shut it again.  To her knowledge no one but Peter knew which unit she’d transferred in from. Rachel wanted to keep it that way for as long as she could.

Neal scoffed.  “It’s not my Italian Roast but so far my quest to get an espresso machine for White Collar has not gone according to plan.”  He poured some coffee into a mug then sniffed it with a disgusted look on his face.  “I can’t imagine why. The whole division would benefit from better coffee.”

In spite of herself, Rachel chuckled. “They probably could. I’d venture to guess the whole bureau would have a better reputation if we weren’t drinking this sludge.” Maybe the white collar division wouldn’t be too bad if she could get used to pushing paperwork and not working with dangerous criminals on a daily basis.  Granted, Caffrey was a criminal but she wouldn’t call him dangerous by any stretch of the imagination.

“We could always run to Starbucks if you really need that pick-me-up,” he offered with a friendly smile. 

Suddenly Peter’s voice rang in her ears and she shook her head.  He was charming but she wouldn’t let him charm her.  That was something she needed to prove while she was working here.  After all, the sooner she did that the sooner she’d be back where she belonged, dealing with cases that actually mattered. “Thanks but no thanks, Caffrey. Duty calls.”  She held up a file folder then before walking back over to her desk.

Even though Rachel could practically feel his eyes on her and the heard the slight chuckle left behind her, she couldn’t bring herself to care.  There really was a job she needed to do and there was no time for distractions.  After all, the last thing she wanted would be to spend her days wasting away at white collar.  There were many more important things she could do with her life.

-

It was monotonous and dull.  Even though she was doing everything she could to keep herself out of trouble, Rachel couldn’t help but feel underutilized in this division. It seemed as though paperwork was the driving force of the division and no matter how dull Rachel found it, she wouldn’t dare neglect it.  She wanted to earn her place back in counterterrorism and if that meant pushing paperwork while dealing with identity theft and dull mortgage scandals then that was what Rachel had to do.  She might have missed the adrenaline rush that came from going undercover, chasing down a suspect, or having to pull her gun in the heat of the moment, but she was going to follow the rules. If she blew this she knew damn well Peter Burke would write her up and she’d never have another chance to actually do something important.  Pushing paper wasn’t important.  It was a waste of her valuable time.  Regardless, Rachel sighed and kept her gaze on the stack of reports from their last case which needed to be completed by the morning.

Maybe she’d get lucky and they’d catch a case that actually required some real work.  Maybe it would be her chance to get out of the office.  God knows she could use it.  Sitting behind a desk had never been Rachel’s style and it was a miracle she made it through Quantico with an attitude like that. However, everything worth desiring was worth working for, so Rachel let the hours tick by until her wrist cramped from filling out the reports from their most recent case. It wasn’t terrorists or mobsters. It was mortgage fraud and at least she didn’t have to fill out extra paperwork about the discharge of her weapon. The last time she’d been in that situation she ended up demoted.  It wasn’t even her fault that the undercover sting went south and her partner ended up dead. Of course she felt guilty, but the bullet she put through his killer’s heart should have been enough to put the past behind them.  It didn’t need to drag on forever.

Shaking herself of those dark thoughts, Rachel focused on the task at hand.  Over and over black ink swirled across her files to form her signature. It was dull but the sooner she got it done the sooner she’d be one step closer to being back where she belonged. The office was nearly empty by now and Rachel couldn’t help but wonder if the rest of the team had some sort of system for making it through the paperwork faster or if she simply got it all handed to her because she was the newbie.  Either way she was going to figure it out.

Tucking a lock of ginger hair behind her ear, Rachel sighed.  She rubbed the tension away from her temples where a headache was blooming and opened her eyes just in time to see a paper airplane float onto her desk. It landed right on top of the stack of paperwork she’d nearly finished, and instantly she looked up. There was no one around. Jones had left and so had most of the others.  Peter was in his office but she doubted he would have sent it flying.  That’s when she saw Neal sitting at his desk and staring right at her with a grin on his face.  Rachel picked up the paper airplane and held it up so he could see whilst her blue eyes bored into his with a sharp gaze.  “What’s this for?”

Neal rose from his desk where he’d been sitting with his feet up, and came towards her.  Rachel leaned back against her chair and looked up at him when he leaned his hip into the edge of her desk.  “You’re going to give yourself carpel tunnel if you don’t take a break from the files.”

A chuckle spilled from Rachel’s lips before she could contain it and she kept her gaze firmly on Neal. “And you’re my doctor now?”

“Nope,” Neal replied with a cheeky grin. “I’m just a guy who’s been where you are.  The paperwork’s a bitch when you’re first starting out.”

Rachel bristled slightly at the implication that she was a newbie to the Bureau.  She wasn’t. “I’m not just starting out,” she replied defensively.

He nodded then leaned towards her slightly, his fingertips brushing along the back of her hand.  Rachel shivered at the contact but jerked her hand away regardless. “You’re new to white collar,” Neal replied. “And, you’re new to this much paperwork. You’re a field agent. You aren’t used to sitting behind a desk.”

One slender eyebrow rose as she continued to look up at him.  “You read my file?”

Neal chuckled.  “No, I didn’t need to read your file.  I could read you.”  He gestured towards the scattered files which littered the desk he was leaning against. “There is no way an agent with experience in a division like this would not have a system for dealing with all the paperwork.  How do you think the rest of the team made it out of here hours ago?”  Rachel merely shrugged and Neal continued with a smirk. “My point exactly. So what were you? My money is on counterintelligence but maybe counterterrorism.  You aren’t the paperwork type.”

It took every ounce of restraint that Rachel possessed not to roll her eyes at him again.  “I really need to get back to work.  I’d like to get a few hours of sleep before I’ve gotta be back here.” She wasn’t going to answer to him. It bothered her that he could read her and that just made her feel as though he was under her skin. Was her brief time in white collar pushing papers already causing her to lose her edge?  Rachel hoped not, but it wasn’t worth the risk. It seemed like she’d need to hit the range sometime soon before her perfect aim would evade her as well.

“It’ll take some getting used to but you’ll get it,” Neal said with a slight nod.  “The paperwork. I eventually did, and I’m not a sit behind the desk type either.”  Neal grinned down at her then and moved away from her desk.  “Well, I’m out for the night.”  Slowly he backed away from her and Rachel found herself almost wishing he’d stay to keep her company even though the thought made her grimace. “Good luck,” Neal chimed before turning and strolling out of the office.

In the silence of the office, Rachel heard the elevator bell just as clear as day.  She groaned and rested her head in her hands while she stared down at the paperwork on her desk.  A demotion was punishment, but this seemed like cruel and unusual punishment.  How could people like this?  That was beyond her comprehension, and yet her mind kept drifting to Caffrey. How did he manage it? Maybe she’d have to swallow her pride and ask him, but that was not an idea she was terribly keen on. There had to be another way and she’d figure it out.  That much Rachel knew. For now she’d just have to work through it if she ever wanted to get back to where she belonged.

-

Despite hating to admit it, Neal was right. The longer she was there the easier and more systematic the paperwork became.  She could get it done much quicker and silently prayed that it wasn’t the beginning of her settling into a mundane life existing in white collar. It was the absolute last thing that Rachel wanted.  By the time she’d been there for a month everything was routine but outside of a few stakeouts and some time in the van, Rachel hadn’t had a chance to get in the field. Maybe she should have been glad that things were relatively uneventful, but the monotony of it was slowly eating away at her soul.  She couldn’t take it anymore.

She was absorbed in something on her computer screen when she felt someone tap her right shoulder.  Turning, Rachel didn’t see anyone and wondered if she’d imagined it before someone closed in on her personal space.  She recognized the scent of coffee clinging to his designer suit before she even turned to her left.

“Anything interesting?”

A smile formed on Rachel’s lips and she shrugged slightly.  Of course there were always a few interesting things that could be found, but most of them never blossomed into full blown leads.  “You know how it is,” Rachel replied as her blue eyes locked on his.

Neal stayed low, in her personal space instead of straightening up.  It didn’t surprise her anymore so she didn’t question it.  After all, Neal had been trying to charm her for over a month. So far he hadn’t even gotten close to succeeding.  “Peter wants us in the conference room.”

Her eyebrow rose and she glanced up towards the glass doors.  She could see Peter already there.  A quick glance around the office let her notice that Jones was heading up there as well. They must have gotten a break on the case and she’d been too absorbed in her own research to notice. “Alright,” Rachel replied as she stood up and grabbed her mug from the desk.  Without so much as another glance at Neal, Rachel headed up the stairs to the conference room.  He was following right behind her.

“Alright,” Peter said once Rachel and Neal reached the conference room.  “Now that everyone’s here, we’ve caught a break in the case.”

Rachel had her mug halfway to her lips but she set it back down and turned her complete attention on Peter. He clicked his remote and a picture flashed up on the screen.  “This man is Samuel Ericson. He runs a retreat for couples going through issues in their marriage.  As it turns out this is the link between all the embezzlement cases.  He’s scamming these couples.”

Neal chuckled slightly.  “As if they weren’t already having issues.”

Jones glanced over towards Neal in an approving way just as Peter rolled his eyes.  “Right,” Peter said before he clicked the remote again.  A large house in the Hamptons replaced the image of Ericson that had been on the screen only moments before.  “This is where he holds all of his couples’ retreats. There is another one starting this weekend.  We’re hoping to send someone in to see if they can gather the information needed to convince Ericson and prove the embezzlement.  If we’re lucky we’ll manage to get some of the missing money back to its rightful owner.”

Rachel’s mind was spinning and she was still stuck on the fact that they were sending someone in.  It was a couples’ retreat and she was the only woman there. Finally she was going back undercover and the thought made her grin.  “So,” she piped up with a smile.  “Which one of you lucky guys gets to be my fake husband for this case?”  Peter’s eyebrow rose and she merely cocked her head to the side in response.  “Boss, I’m the only woman here.”

Jones chuckled before Neal added, “She’s right. The best way in would be posing as one of the couples.”

Then it was Peter’s turn to smirk as he turned towards Neal.  “I’m glad you agree since you’re going with her.”

“Oh excellent.” 

Neal flashed a grin in Rachel’s direction and she rolled her eyes.  “Why can’t I take Jones? I can’t work and babysit Caffrey.”

Again she heard Jones chuckle but her attention was fully focused on Peter.  “Neal’s a lot better at undercover and you won’t need to babysit him, Rachel. He can behave himself. Right Neal?”  Peter glanced over at Neal again and as if to prove a point, Neal gave him a thumbs up.  “Perfect. Now that we’ve got that settled, you two will be going in tomorrow afternoon.  We’ve already signed you up for the retreat on their website so they’ll be expecting you.”

“Perfect,” Rachel sighed as she picked up the file folder from the table and started skimming all the background they had on Ericson.

“I think we can manage this,” Neal chimed in cheerfully.  “It seems simple enough.”

“Just do me a favor,” Peter said and his voice drew Rachel’s attention once more.  “Act married.”

Neal reached across the table then and put his hand on top of Rachel’s.  It surprised her to feel the slight callus on his finger and she wondered briefly what it was from. That was her first instinct, not to pull away.  Her gaze shifted over to meet his and he smiled at her.  The look on his face lit up his eyes and Rachel was forced to finally admit that he wasn’t at all hard to look at.  “I think we’re up for the job,” Neal told Peter without ever breaking eye contact with her. “Don’t you think, Mrs. Caffrey?”

Rachel’s eyebrow rose but before she could open her mouth to speak, Peter chimed in.  “Actually it’ll be Mrs. Lowe.”  Peter handed them each a file before he continued.  “Nick and Rebecca Lowe have been married for five years.  No children.  They met in college and I’ll leave the rest up to you.  I’m sure between the two of you it’ll be a solid cover. You’ve got enough experience between you.”

If looks could kill the glare Rachel shot Peter in that moment would have had him six feet under.  “I knew you were more used to field work,” Neal practically laughed.  Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel could even see the amused smirk which had formed on Jones’ face. Apparently everyone thought it was funny but her.

A poignant glance at Neal swiftly silenced him and she could not help but feel a little proud that she managed to. “Yeah, we’ll figure it out. Right, Neal?”

“Of course.”

Peter nodded and clapped his hands once. “Good then let’s get to work. There isn’t any time to waste.”

-

Once the kinks were all worked out of the plan, Rachel and Neal were left in the conference room alone.  Peter had gotten a call from Elizabeth and Jones had another lead to run down.  As they left Rachel could practically feel the atmosphere of the room shift.  With a soft sigh she turned to face the man who’d be pretending to be her husband.  Rachel hadn’t really had a chance to see Caffrey in action yet, and couldn’t deny that she was curious as to how he would handle a complete undercover assignment. It had been too long since she had one and she was itching to get going. 

“So,” Rachel started as she put her elbow on the table and cradled her jaw in her hand.  “How did Nick and Rebecca meet?”

Neal was quiet for a moment and steepled his fingers beneath his chin.  “College. They met in the line for textbooks and realized they were in the same anatomy class.”

Her eyebrow rose.  “Anatomy?”

“Yeah,” Neal replied with a grin. “Rebecca was a nursing major who switched majors in her second year after realizing history was more her speed. Nick’s a science teacher.”

The chuckle that burbled up and spilled past her lips was not something she could have contained, even if she tried. “You’ve got this all thought out, don’t you?”

He nodded.  “I’m thinking they’re having problems because Rebecca wants to start a family but Nick doesn’t think he’s ready.”

“Oh really?”  He really did have things worked out and she wondered if he actually would have given her some input if she hadn’t stayed to discuss their cover with him. “She’s ready to start the whole housewife thing?  Settle down with a husband, dog, kids, and the white picket fence?”

The corners of his lips turned up in the most irritating smile.  Rachel was itching to wipe it off him, but she didn’t even know where to start.  Going back undercover was something she’d desperately needed to do. She needed to behave herself. “Well maybe not the picket fence or the dog,” Neck chuckled.

In spite of herself, Rachel smiled and hooked a lock of ginger hair behind her ear.  “Alright, so they met in college and are fighting because he’s not ready for a baby. How did Nick propose?” She knew having a solid backstory was important in any undercover assignment but with something like this it was vital.  One wrong answer and they’d be screwed.  It was a couple’s retreat. They couldn’t just make it up as they went along.

“It was New Years in Times Square. He popped the question right after the ball dropped.”  Neal paused briefly and his face contorted in thought before he added, “I’m thinking it was 2007.”

That made sense.  It was a cheesy and romantic gesture, not unlike the type Rachel assumed Neal made when he conned women.  Briefly she couldn’t help but wondering if Nick had more in common with Neal than she was realizing.  “Sounds good, especially since Peter said they’d been married five years. That would put their wedding in 2009. So why doesn’t Nick want kids?”

He shook his head and smiled. “You mean really or what Rebecca thinks the reason is?”

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair.  Her blue eyes remained locked on Neal’s while she watched him curiously.  “Humor me.”  If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that the reasons Neal came up with would undoubtedly be pretty interesting. 

“Nick’s afraid of failing as a father. He’s in a bit of debt from the gambling problem Rebecca doesn’t know about and doesn’t think they’re financially stable enough to raise a child.”  He tapped his fingers on the table top then flicked his gaze to meet hers. “Rebecca thinks it’s because he spends six hours a day with a bunch of rambunctious teenagers. She’s sure that’s made him not want kids.”

She tipped her head back and smiled. “Well,” Rachel replied as she glanced up at the florescent lights on the ceiling before returning her gaze to Neal. “At least I can understand Rebecca’s thinking.  Spending that much time with teenagers would be enough to make me not want kids.”

An amused look lit up Neal’s face. “I thought you’d appreciate that.”

“Oh definitely,” she nodded.  “It’s perfect.  We can probably work out any of the kinks the cover might have between now and this weekend.”  She didn’t doubt that. There was still a day or so to plan and work things out.  It’d be fine. With any luck they wouldn’t be there for very long anyway.  Someone would be the distraction and the other would slip into the office to get the information they needed.  It’d just be a couple hours tops, or at least that was Rachel’s hope.  Unfortunately she’d been undercover enough times to realize by now that absolutely nothing ever goes according to plan.

-

Two days later Rachel was dressed in a blue sundress as Neal drove towards the same Hampton’s home which had been on display in the conference room.  It had been a whirlwind of activity to get everything prepared for her undercover assignment with Neal, but Rachel had missed it.  She’d missed the thrill of it and even all the preparations had been something she missed.  The pair of them had drilled each other on facts about Nick and Rebecca’s marriage whenever they crossed paths in the office until Rachel was positive they’d manage to avoid any suspicion.  It didn’t seem like it would be terribly difficult even without the extra backstory. After all, they were dealing with one man embezzling from couples nearing divorce.  He wasn’t a terrorist.

She fidgeted with the faux wedding ring around her left finger which caused Neal to chuckle.  “It looks good on you.”

Quickly she glanced over at him out of the corner of her eye when he spoke.  “It’s a ring,” she deadpanned. Of course Rachel knew that if they’d been married for five years, Rebecca wouldn’t be fidgeting with it. However, she had yet to completely settle into that identity.  It usually took her a few minutes but by the time they reached the retreat, Rachel knew she would fully be invested in the life of Rebecca Lowe.

“A beautiful one,” Neal replied. “If I didn’t know better I’d say it was the real thing.”

Rachel’s eyes rolled as they approached the house and she could almost hear Peter in the van hoping they’d get their act together. However, it wasn’t as though Peter had anything to worry about.  Undercover assignments were something she could handle.  It wasn’t like the mountains of paperwork that threatened to overwhelm her and leave her struggling against early onset carpel tunnel syndrome. This was in her blood. She knew how to do this and the sooner she did the sooner she could get back to doing things like this almost every day of her life.

Neal drove up the long driveway towards the house where the couple’s retreat would be held while Rachel glanced out at the security. It wasn’t tight and in fact, it didn’t look like there was much at all.  They’d have no trouble getting out if a problem arose.  However, she hoped that one wouldn’t.  Besides, this wouldn’t be difficult.  Peter and Jones parked the van two blocks away. They could hear everything that was happening and even though Rachel couldn’t hear them, it was still slightly reassuring.  Knowing backup was close always gave her that sense of security regardless of how mundane the undercover assignment was.   “Seems very ordinary,” Rachel said after a few moments while her gaze drifted to the ocean just beyond the beach behind the house.  “Beautiful but ordinary.”  She was used to adventure, something she was certain Neal had picked up on by now, but that didn’t change the fact that this was her job right now.  All her focus needed to be here. 

“Everything is,” Neal replied as he parked the car and turned off the ignition.  A sigh spilled from his lips before his blue eyes locked on hers. “Are you ready for this, Rebecca?” The use of her alias was not needed to remind her they were in the game now.  Neal and Rachel didn’t exist anymore, at least for the time being.

She nodded slightly and adjusted the glasses on her nose before she pushed open the passenger side door.  “Ready.”

Neal nodded in response before he got out of the car as well.  Almost as soon as they had, someone descended the few stairs from the front door of the house to come greet them.  Instantly Rachel recognized him as Samuel Ericson, the man running this sham and undoubtedly scamming these poor couples out of large sums of money.  “Mr. and Mrs. Lowe,” he chirped happily as he approached with a bright but fake grin on his face.  “It’s so good to finally meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Neal replied before offering the man his hand to shake.  While he did, Rachel hung back and played the part of the submissive wife until his eyes found hers.  She offered him her hand as well and he kissed the back of it. Rachel hated that. Only sleazy men did such a thing in her experience and it made her wonder exactly what sort of information they’d find.

“Come,” Ericson chirped.  “Let’s get you two settled in and let you meet the rest of the couples here for the retreat.”  Of course they’d known there would be more potential victims there, but Rachel couldn’t help but wonder exactly what they were up against.  Her mind was spinning while Neal seemed energized. She could not help but wonder what was running through the conman’s mind.

Neal smiled and reached out to grab Rachel’s hand, but she pulled it away in an attempt to show Rebecca was not pleased with her husband.  Neal sighed and ran his fingers through his hair instead before focusing his attention completely on their target.  “That sounds wonderful. Lead the way.”

Ericson’s quirked brow had been enough to let Rachel know so far their cover was holding.  She was thankful for that.  Hopefully they’d be able to slip in and out to be done with this charade by morning. Honestly she didn’t know how long she could handle being married to Neal Caffrey.  Despite the alias he was still that cocky conman how’d gotten under her skin.  She hadn’t been able to shake him.

The trio walked into the house and Rachel kept her eyes peeled for any further signs of security.  She didn’t see any but that didn’t mean there couldn’t be some. Ericson’s voice is what pulled Rachel from her thoughts and she turned towards him with a slight smile. “Why don’t I let you two get settled in,” murmured while he led them to the room they’d be sharing until this case was wrapped up and their undercover assignment was put to rest. Once they reached it he grinned. “Make yourself comfortable. Once all the couples are settled everyone can meet.”  Without another word he left them standing outside their room and Rachel couldn’t help but wonder how much easier this assignment could get.

Once she was certain he was gone, Rachel pulled Neal into the room and shut the door behind them.  His eyebrow rose slightly and she had to hold back the look of amusement on her face.  “Do you know how many other couples are supposed to be here?”  When Neal shook his head she sighed and twisted a lock of hair around her finger. “Well once they are you keep him occupied and I’ll do what we came to do.”

Casually Neal walked around the room and began checking things for bugs.  Rachel doubted there was any but she was glad to see him taking precautions regardless. It was something she would have done if she hadn’t noticed an extreme lack of security outside. There definitely wouldn’t be any inside. “How are you planning on doing that?” Neal’s tone was skeptical and he glanced at her in the mirror while his fingers skimmed over ledges and behind the backs of pictures.  “He’ll want to keep us together.”

Rachel nodded.  “I know.  I’ve got a plan.”

“Care to share with the class?” The skeptical tone of his voice was grating on her last nerve and suddenly Rachel knew she’d have no problem pretending to be angry with him.  If he kept burrowing deeper and deeper under her skin, Rachel was liable to explode. That was the last thing they’d need. It would blow their cover.

She shrugged a little.  “They’re here because they’re fighting over if they are ready for a kid, right?”  When he nodded she smirked. “Then the answer is simple: morning sickness.”

A smirk formed on Neal’s lips almost instantly while his eyes lit up with amusement.  “Little Becca hasn’t been taking her birth control?  Oh that will definitely give Nick something to be angry about. Does he know?”

She chuckled and flopped down on the bed with a shake of her head.  “Nope. I was thinking that’d be a great bomb for her to drop if they start arguing.  It’ll give me an excuse to slip away and let you rant to Ericson while I’m gone to keep him occupied.”

For a moment it seemed as though Neal was thinking the plan over before he nodded.  “It sounds good.  If memory serves Peter and Diana pulled a similar con once while they were undercover. The unexpected pregnancy bombshell is usually a good one if given the right circumstances.”

Now it was Rachel’s turn to raise her eyebrow skeptically.  “Oh really?” She hadn’t had the chance to meet Diana yet, but from what she’d been told, Rachel had a hard time picturing her pretending to be Peter’s wife or girlfriend.  He was too much of a stick in the mud for that, or at least that was what Rachel had come to expect from the ASAC of the White Collar Division.

“Yeah, it should work just as well for us.”

Lying back on the bed for a moment she sighed. “Hopefully you’re right. Once this is all over I’m going to need a drink.”

Neal’s blue eyes found hers and he smiled. “I’m sure we both will.”

In that moment Rachel couldn’t think of anything she wanted more than a drink and to have this assignment behind them. At least then she’d be one step closer to getting back to counterterrorism.  It was a long road and Rachel didn’t want to spend forever chained to a stack of paperwork and a criminal informant on a GPS tracking anklet. There were better ways to get back to where she belonged.  It was just a matter of finding the right loophole and that was exactly what she intended to do.

-

When Ericson came to collect them, Neal and Rachel easily slipped back into the shoes of their aliases.  Rebecca kept her distance and made herself appear as though she was not feeling well.  Nick was concerned for his wife but kept his distance nonetheless.  It was perfect.  She took a seat on the patio where there were two other couples waiting. The sun was setting and the luminaries around the patio provided the perfect amount of light for them. Sitting beside Neal, Rachel glanced over at him briefly before turning her attention on the other two couples. If everything went according to plan those two would not lose a dime to this swindler.  It gave her a renewed sense of purpose when it came to the assignment.  If she could prevent these people from being swindled then she still would have made some difference.

“Nick and Rebecca Lowe, meet Samantha and James Jackson,” Ericson said with a slight flourish of his hand.

“It’s a pleasure,” she heard Neal say while her gaze remained firmly fixed on the ocean.

“And this,” Ericson said before gesturing to the other couple sitting there, “is Annabelle and Robert Sutton.” Rachel glanced at them briefly and wondered what could have brought those couples to this scoundrel. He wasn’t very helpful. How he managed to convince couples to come to his retreats was beyond the realm of Rachel’s comprehension.

“It’s lovely to meet you as well,” Neal replied.

The woman laughed and it grated on Rachel’s nerves. It shouldn’t have, but when she was trying to soak in every aspect of the scenario playing out before them, even the most minor annoyance became something major.  Samantha and James were having issues because James was a gambler, or so they told them.  Ericson sat smugly and seemed to offer endless streams of wisdom for the couple in need. It turned out Robert had been cheating on Annabelle.  Rachel felt a sudden stab of sympathy for the young woman.  She had a cheating bastard for a husband and she’d be robbed blind if they didn’t succeed.  No one deserved that no matter what they’d been through.

Ericson laughed with the two other men and Neal shot Rachel a look.  His blue eyes reflected her insecurities about the small talk and get to know you nature of their encounter back at her.  Sure, they had done their best to fortify their cover but it could only stand up to so much poking and prodding before the whole thing would collapse.  It was then that she realized they never agreed on where Nick and Rebecca had honeymooned.  Truthfully it was a minor detail that wouldn’t matter, but this was a couple’s retreat and everyone was getting to know each other.  Neal wanted to avoid any awkwardness just as much as she did. It was written all over his face.

Almost as if on cue, Samantha turned to her and smiled. “So, Rebecca,” she started. “How long have you two been married?”

Internally she grimaced and Neal reached over to place his hand on hers.  She didn’t pull away and instead closed her eyes while a sigh fell from her lips. “Five years.”

“And you’re here because…” Annabelle prompted.

She could practically feel Neal rolling his eyes beside her and she had to hold back a scoff.  “Because I want a baby,” she replied in the most innocent tone she could muster before hooking her thumb over towards Neal. “Nick isn’t ready for kids.” She rolled her eyes and sighed exasperatedly.  “I don’t know why. He’d be an amazing father.”

Neal shook his head and laughed. “An amazing father? You do realize I don’t even know what that is, right?  What kind of example was my dad?” 

Honestly, Rachel had to question how much of this was Nick and how much was Neal talking.  She’d read his file.  She knew about his father.  Whether or not Neal knew she knew about his father was something entirely different. If he had access to it he undoubtedly would have read her file so why wouldn’t she have read his? After all, he was the criminal. She sighed and hooked a lock of red hair behind her ear as a man appeared with a tray of drinks. Everyone took one but Rebecca waved it away with a slight frown.  “I don’t know, Nick.  You’ve got that father gene. I can tell.”

She knew all eyes were on them but she didn’t care. If everyone was focused on the fight then hopefully no one would follow her once she fled. If anyone did it would make things that much more complicated.  Neal shook his head as his eyebrow rose so slightly that she would have missed it if she hadn’t been looking for it.  “You’re wrong, Becca,” Neal snapped before taking a sip of his drink for dramatic effect.

Rachel stood up then and looked right down into his eyes.  “Considering you’re gonna be a father in a few months you’d better pray that you’re the wrong one.” Swiftly she took Neal’s drink and threw it in his face before she stormed off.  The drink may have been excessive and she knew that, but it definitely felt good to douse the cocky asshole.

Quickly and quietly Rachel made her way away from the patio and towards Ericson’s office.  If Neal couldn’t keep them occupied for a few minutes they’d be screwed, so she hoped he could charm them despite everything.  However, with a reputation like the one she knew he had, Rachel wasn’t too worried.

It didn’t take long for her to slip through the hallways and find the office.  She’d peeked in a few rooms before it became abundantly clear she found the right one. The door closed behind her and Rachel made a beeline for the computer on his desk.  She slipped the USB into the port and cursed under her breath when she realized the computer’s password lock was in place. Suddenly she didn’t know if Neal could buy her enough time before someone would come looking for her. She knew there was a chance she’d have to hack it, but she’d been praying that wouldn’t be the case.

With a deep breath Rachel set to work trying the most obvious passwords based on what she’d read in his file. His birthdate wasn’t it. Password wasn’t the password either. She tried repeatedly and cursed the fact that this wasn’t part of the plan. They’d been so focused on buying time they hadn’t stopped to think there might be serious technical skills involved. Rachel knew she could hack it. It would just take time and tools she didn’t have on her.  Rachel’s heart was racing.  Blood was pounding in her ears and she couldn’t make it stop.  It had been far too long since she’d been on an undercover mission. Yes, she’d missed the adrenaline rush, but she’d forgotten how it could mess with your head.

“Keep it together, Turner,” she told herself when she took another deep breath and resumed trying to hack through his password. “Little help would be great right about now, Peter.”  She knew he and Jones were in the van listening, undoubtedly ready to move in at a moment’s notice, but that didn’t help her right now.  They could hear her but she couldn’t hear them.  It felt like she was flying blind and that was something she’d always hated about undercover operations.  It made her feel as though she was playing a game of Russian roulette. There was always the danger and she could never tell when her luck would finally run out.

Rachel lost track of how long she’d been there trying to get into his files before the sound of the doorknob turning jolted her sharply back to reality.  It wouldn’t be Neal. He wouldn’t leave everyone else undistracted. It was someone else. The door was pushed open before Rachel had a chance to formulate a complete plan and Ericson walked into the room. He shut the door behind him and frowned when he saw her standing in front of his computer.  “What are you doing, Rebecca?”

Her lips twisted into a frown and she shrugged her shoulders, keeping up her innocent façade for as long as physically possible.  “I just needed to go somewhere Nick wouldn’t come looking for me,” she sniffled. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Ericson shook his head and walked towards her then. “Of course not,” he murmured while he came closer.  Once he was standing beside the desk he reached out to lightly touch her forearm. “You can stay in here for as long as you want to.  This will all work out. Nick will realize how lucky he is.”

It was easy to see right through the reassuring words that he was spewing.  She’d spent years learning people’s tells.  He was no different.  He looked her in the eyes to calm her, but his hands twitched.  His brow rose slightly whenever he spoke of promises. He was lying.  Just like he lied to those couples he scammed he was lying to her now.  Lies were part of her life. It was a web weaved for survival and she had learned that from a very young age.  This was the same and yet oh so different.  It wasn’t a lie for survival.  It was a lie to gain trust and manipulate.  Those were the ones Rachel hated the most.  This man thought she was a pregnant woman who was having marital problems yet he was still preying on her.  It was sick. “Why don’t you go tell him that?”

Ericson smirked slightly in an almost predatory way that made Rachel’s blood boil.  “If he’s too blind to see it himself then why should I remind him?” His hand skated up her arm then and she tensed slightly.  “Now tell me, what were you doing in here?  I saw you on the computer.”

Threateningly, Ericson’s grip on her arm tightened but it did nothing more than piss her off.  She was a trained agent, not the type of woman easily deterred from anything. “I suggest you take your hand off me or you’ll regret it.”

Unfazed, Ericson’s other hand moved towards her shoulder and he backed her towards the wall.  Rachel went willingly, knowing it would be easier to catch him off guard if he thought she couldn’t take care of herself.  “Or what, Sweetheart? You’ll get your husband to come take care of you? What were you looking for?” He wasn’t an exceedingly strong man, but she knew that looks could be deceiving.  Size could be an advantage regardless of if they were bigger or smaller.

In a blink something snapped within her and Rachel grabbed the hand he’d placed on her arm and bent his two middle fingers back until his knees were shaking and she pushed him back against the desk. “What the _fuck_ , Rebecca?”  His voice was high pitched and he whimpered in pain while his free hand attempted to pry her fingers off him, but she simply grabbed that arm and twisted it sharply.

“It told you not to touch me,” Rachel retorted with a slight hiss to her tone.  “What’s your password to the computer?”  Her voice was a harsh whisper as she looked him right in the eyes.  There was anger there mixed with the determination she always felt while she was in the middle of an assignment.  If she succeeded things would be better.  In the back of her mind she knew this wasn’t the way to go about it, but she couldn’t stop herself.  She was used to pushing the envelope to get results.  She was used to dealing with terrorists not common thieves. It was different and she forgot that. It was easy to forget when blinded by anger.

He tried to pull away and her response was to tighten her grip until he was squirming.  It didn’t make her happy to hurt him.  She wanted results.  One thing she’d learned working in Counterterrorism was that when all else failed, violence got results. No one questioned you as long as you didn’t go too far.  That rule didn’t apply to White Collar, but that seemed to have completely slipped her mind.

When he gave her no answer to the question she’d posed, Rachel asked him again. “What’s the password?”  He whimpered and she twisted his arm until she knew if she took it much farther something would break.  There was a line between pain and injury.  She didn’t like crossing it, but when she had to there was no looking back. It was almost too easy to be tempted towards the dark side.  It was something that tempted her whenever she spent too much time with terrorist or arms dealers.  During her time at White Collar it had settled into nothing.  She’d fought against it constantly before, but now it was creeping back into her life.

“Pinecone,” Ericson finally said right as the door opened once more.  He gaze flicked to the door and she saw Neal standing there wide eyed at the sight before him. Ericson was pressed against the desk with his arms restrained and a look of pain contorting his face. She could almost see the wheels turning in his mind while he struggled to process it.

“Rachel,” Neal snapped as he crossed the room in a few quick strides.  He pushed her off Ericson and shook his head.  “What were you thinking?”

She rolled her eyes as Ericson slumped on the floor to cradle his injured arm before she typed the password into the computer. The screen opened up and she quickly scanned through the files and uploaded them to the drive they needed before turning her attention back to Neal.  “I got what we needed.  That’s what matters. Now let’s get out of here.”

Neal shot a sympathetic look at the man on the floor before he nodded.  “Alright.”

With the drive in hand Rachel left without another word.  She knew Neal would follow. He wouldn’t stay there, not after what she did.  It made her sick to realize that she would have taken it further if Ericson hadn’t cracked or if Neal hadn’t come in when he did.  She would have pushed the envelope.  This wasn’t terrorism though.  It was theft. It wasn’t a life or death situation. She didn’t need to cross that line yet she did it anyway.  It made her feel alive and that was something she couldn’t explain.  Perhaps that was what she’d missed during her time in White Collar while she was pushing papers.  She’d missed the thrill of it but now she was walking a thin line between good and evil. She needed balance. Neal had given it to her now, but when she glanced at him all she saw was disappointment.  It left a bitter taste in her mouth.  There were other ways of getting results and now it seemed as though her shortcut home to where she belonged had just extended her stay. It would seem that nothing could ever work out exactly according to plan.  Without the bumps along the way, what would make life interesting?

-

“What the hell did you think you were doing?!”

Rachel resisted the urge to visibly flinch when Peter spoke.  She didn’t think she’d ever seen the man so mad in her time at White Collar, granted she hadn’t been there a terribly long time.  Obviously she’d made a mistake in overstepping her bounds but that was not something she was used to.  She was used to getting away with pushing the limits to get the information she needed. Of course, there was more at stake in Counterterrorism than there was at White Collar, but that didn’t mean it was less important.  That was something she’d rapidly been learning.  Her tongue slid against the back of her teeth before she pursed her lips and kept a cool demeanor.  “I was getting the information we needed.  I did my job, now it’s up to the lawyers to nail his ass to the wall.”

“You’ve made it that much more difficult for the DA to make the case.  Excessive force might have been the way to go in your last unit but it’s not something we do here, Rachel.  You’d best keep that in mind if you ever want to get back to Counterterrorism.”  His eyes narrowed slightly as he placed his palms on his desk. Rachel could tell Peter meant business and it was the first time since meeting him that she’d actually seen him as worthy of his position as ASAC.  “Isn’t pushing the envelope what landed you here to begin with?  I would have thought you were smarter than that.”

It was a low blow.  She wasn’t the only one who’d overstepped on that case and she wasn’t the only reason things went south as quickly as they did. It wasn’t her fault, but everyone made her out like she was the bad guy.  It drove Rachel insane.  Everyone in the Bureau was so quick to judge based on the actions written in the reports, but they weren’t there.  They didn’t know what happened.  “I got us what we needed. I guess I won’t make the same mistake twice, huh?”

Peter gritted his teeth and kept his gaze on her. “You and Neal are two of a kind. Both of you push the limits until something breaks.  With him it’s usually security glass and for you it seems like bones are the object of choice.” There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone, but Rachel knew there was more to it than he was letting on. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that tensions in the office between Peter and Neal had seemed different for the past week than they had when she first started at White Collar.

Honestly, Rachel didn’t know if she should be insulted or feel complimented.  Caffrey was world renowned, but he was a criminal.  She wasn’t, but it seemed that the more tempting the dark side was, the more she wondered what it would be like to live on the other side of the law. Maybe that cocky fedora wearing bastard was more like her than she wanted to admit.  “He didn’t break anything, and with the hold I had him in if it would have been anything it’d just have been a few fingers. He’d live.”

“Even so, we do things above board here. We don’t live in the grey areas of the law, despite what Caffrey may have you believe.  Results are good.  Hurting people to get them is not going to get you back to Counterterrorism.” There was a hint of finality in Peter’s voice and Rachel knew better than to argue.  If she did it would just be another black mark on her record.

Her hair fell around her shoulders as she nodded. “Yes, sir.”  Defeat had never tasted so sour, but if she ever wanted a second chance she needed to let Peter win this battle.

“Good.  You’re benched for at least a week, Turner.”  He sighed slightly then signed the files that were on his desk. He closed it then and handed it to her. “Give this to Jones then get out of here for the night.  I don’t want you anywhere near this case from now on, understand?”

A soft sigh fell from her lips as she nodded and took the file from him.  “Perfectly, Agent Burke.  I will see you in the morning.”  Peter nodded slightly in response and Rachel turned to leave his office without so much as another word.  If she wasn’t careful she’d overstep another boundary and that would be the last nail in the coffin of her career.  Then she really may end up living for a taste of a criminal lifestyle.

-

It didn’t take Rachel long to find Jones or drop off the files with him before she slipped away from the office and over towards the bank of elevators.  It seemed like everyone in the office knew she’d stepped over a line despite the fact that Peter had tried to keep a lid on what happened.  Maybe Neal had told people, but he didn’t seem like the type that would.  She couldn’t explain why she knew that.  She just did.

The down button glowed for a few moments after she pressed it before the elevator dinged and the doors opened. It was empty and she slipped in silently, grateful to be away from the gaze of anyone in the office. However, that respite didn’t last long when Neal slipped into the elevator as the doors started to close. “Hey,” he said softly when he noticed she was in the elevator. 

In truth, Rachel didn’t know if he’d been waiting to catch her alone or if he was truly surprised to find her there. Either way she wasn’t too thrilled. “Hi.”

Neal tilted his head slightly and hit the button for the lobby.  “Did Peter chew you out?”

Annoyed, Rachel’s blue eyes flicked to his. “Of course he did. I got the whole we don’t operate in the grey areas of the law speech.”  She hooked a lock of hair behind her ear then added, “It seemed like he’d perfected it over the years by using it on you.”

A cheeky grin formed on the conman’s features. “Well I’ve gotten it a few times over the years.  Good to know it’s coming in handy for someone else.” 

Rachel sighed.  Only Neal would find compliments in things like that. “Yeah, he said we were alike, you know. Two of a kind cut from the same cloth.”

“Oh really?”  Neal leaned against the wall of the elevator and crossed his arms over his chest.  “Was this meant as an insult or a compliment?”

A delicate eyebrow rose on her features and she shrugged.  “Honestly? I’ve got no clue.”

Neal chuckled then and Rachel couldn’t help but smile in response.  “When you figure it out let me know.”  The doors to the elevators opened then and Neal put his hand over the edge to keep the doors back so Rachel to walk out first.  Swiftly he followed her, his hand lightly grazing against the small of her back while he came up beside her.  “You look like you could use a drink after today.”

Shivers of excitement that were nearly electric ran through her and she smiled as her blue gaze found his.  “I feel like I could use one too.  I really stepped in it today.” 

“Yeah, you really did,” Neal replied. “But I’ve got a bottle of merlot I was thinking of cracking open.  Care to join me?  It might take the edge off.”

In the back of her mind Rachel knew it was a bad idea. From day one her goal had been to get back to where she belonged.  Spending time with a criminal didn’t seem like the best way to do that, but she’d already fucked up her plans.  What could a glass of wine hurt?  Rationally she knew it could hurt a lot, but that didn’t matter.  Not tonight.  She needed to take the edge off.  “I’d like that.”

The grin that formed on Neal’s face could have given the Cheshire Cat a run for his money, but Rachel didn’t care. Despite seeing what she’d done first hand, Neal wasn’t ostracizing her.  He wasn’t really treating her any different.  Peter and Jones had looked at her differently after their undercover assignment. Neal didn’t and she was grateful for that.  His hand settled on her lower back then as he led her towards the door.  “Then let’s go.”

-

Honestly, outside of their assignment it was the first real time she spent alone with Neal.  They drove back to his place and Rachel couldn’t help but think about what Peter had said.  Before, she didn’t notice the similarities.  Before she didn’t know him, so being seen comparable to a criminal was scandalous at best. Peter was right though. She and Neal were two of the same. They both operated in the grey areas of the law and did whatever was necessary to achieve their goals. Maybe it was bad, but after years of doing things her way, doing things without walking the line of the law would be impossible.

Neal gave her directions as she drove them towards his house and the laugh that spilled past her lips upon parking the car was uncontrollable.  The old stone house was cast in shadows from the streetlights but Rachel could still clearly see how grand it was.  “You live here?” The surprise in her tone was completely obvious and she made no effort to hide it.  This place was huge and even though it definitely fit with Neal’s personality, she still thought it was odd.

He laughed as Rachel killed the engine of the car. “Yeah.  Is it not what you were expecting?”

She removed the keys from the ignition and tucked them into her purse before she swung it over her shoulder. “Not exactly.  This is like something out of a novel.”  Her brow rose slightly then before she opened her car door. “Do I even want to know how you managed to end up living here?”

Once they were both out of the car, Neal glanced over at her with a slight smirk etched on his expression.  “It’s perfectly legal I swear.”

“Forgive me for doubting it,” she retorted as they walked towards the house.

Neal grinned as his hand settled on the small of Rachel’s back to guide her. “If you don’t believe me ask Peter. He’s thoroughly checked everything.”

“I’m sure he has.”  There was no doubt about that.  Peter Burke was nothing but thorough.

When they reached the door Neal put the key in the lock and held the door open for her like a gentleman.  Honestly after working with him she really wasn’t sure what was his playboy persona and what was really Neal.  Maybe someday she’d figure it out but for now he was just a mystery.   “I rent it,” he said suddenly but Rachel couldn’t pull her gaze away from the house. It was incredible. Neal’s hand rested on her back and he guided her over towards the stairs.  “My apartment is upstairs.  I bet you’ll love the view.”

Any resistance she had was left behind at the FBI. Rachel knew this was a bad idea. Going home with Caffrey was a recipe for disaster, especially if there was wine involved. However, Rachel knew she was in hot water.  Unwinding after being told off by Peter seemed like the only logical course of action. “Oh I’m sure,” Rachel murmured as she let Neal guide her towards his apartment.  While they walked through the old home her mind spun with curiosity wondering who in their right mind would let a thief live in a place like this, but that was neither here nor there.  It was not her place to question anyone’s sanity when she was the one there with him.  That was insanity at its finest and she had to admit that.

The soft smile on Neal’s features made it so she almost wanted to believe him.  “Just trust me.”

For years she had been on her own. Trusting people was not easy. Last time she did it her partner ended up dead in an assignment gone wrong.  When she closed her eyes she could still see him and could feel everything moving in slow motion.  She just couldn’t stop it.  Trust didn’t come easy. Being close to people didn’t come easy. It was hard to let vulnerability show when she was so used to keeping all her emotions locked away. They climbed the stairs as her mind raced through all the possible outcomes of trusting Neal. None of them seemed very good, but even so a slight smile turned up the corners of her lips.  “We’ll see.”

When they reached Neal’s apartment, Rachel wasn’t sure what she was expecting.  Probably something akin to some sort of lair for all Neal’s illicit activities that he was undoubtedly still participating in, but when the door opened that wasn’t what she saw.  Slowly she walked into the dark room and the first thing she spotted was the skyline. It was the most beautiful view of New York that Rachel had ever seen and she was drawn to it like a magnet. She’d grown up all over the world but New York would always be special.  Behind her she heard the door shut but she couldn’t look away. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured.

“Told you that you’d like it,” he cheekily replied.

“It’s about time, Neal, I’ve been working on the – “

Neal quickly cut him off.  “Not now, Moz.”

Rachel spun at the unfamiliar voice and she instantly locked eyes with a short bald man with glasses.  She didn’t know who he was but something Jones had said before was suddenly ringing in her ears.  This was undoubtedly the little guy he’d been referring too.

Mozzie’s mouth formed a near perfect O shape as realization dawned on him.  What the little guy had been doing at Neal’s place was beyond Rachel’s comprehension right now, but she still wanted to question it.  There was a nagging feeling in her gut that something was up.

“Oh…”  He gave a little bow of his head.  “Replacement Lady Suit.”

Neal rolled his eyes and gestured. “Rachel this is Mozzie.”

The grimace on Mozzie’s face when Neal told her his name was amusing and she chuckled slightly.  “Nice to meet you, but please, don’t stop on my account.” Curiosity killed the cat, but Rachel couldn’t help herself.  Maybe she wasn’t too far from the truth when she thought about Neal still being involved in criminal activity.

“No it’s okay,” Neal murmured as he stepped closer to Rachel and placed his hand on her shoulder.  She knew body language and she knew Neal was trying to give Mozzie a hint. “Moz was just leaving.” Despite the fact that the room was dark, Rachel could see the seriousness in Neal’s eyes. That was something she was unaccustomed to seeing and served as a blatantly obvious reminder that she didn’t know him at all, not really anyway.

”Right,” Mozzie chimed in as he walked towards the door, stopping briefly at the wine rack to pilfer one of Neal’s choice bottles. “I was.  I’ll leave you to it.”

Rachel’s eyes tracked him as he left the apartment and shut the door behind him.  There was something about his body language that rubbed her the wrong way. He was hiding something and after years of digging to the truth where terrorists were concerned, she was fairly certain she could read a conman.  There was no doubt in her mind that’s what he was.  “Well,” she murmured as she turned to smile at Neal. “That was interesting. I hope he didn’t just pilfer that merlot you promised me.”

An almost musical chuckle fell from Neal’s lips as he flashed a cocky grin.  “I’m sure I’ve got an extra.  One thing to know about Mozzie is that wine tends to disappear quickly when he’s around.”

The corners of her lips turned up in a smile as she took a seat at the table.  “Seems like I’ve got a lot to learn.  What was all that about anyway?”  Her gaze tracked Neal while he went to get the bottle of wine, but still she kept being distracted by all the quaint little things about his apartment.  It just…wasn’t what she would have imagined. Yes, the view was extravagant and the apartment itself was amazing.  It just seemed homier than she had expected to come from a conman who spent so much of his life on the run.  It made her wonder what other surprises and tricks he had up his sleeves.

He pulled the bottle off the wine rack then waved a dismissive hand in Rachel’s direction.  “It’s nothing.  Moz is a bit of a conspiracy theorist so he has a new project every week.”

Her brow rose but she didn’t push it. There was more to the exchange than just that and she knew it.  Hell, it didn’t even take an FBI agent to see that.  “Is that so?”

The room filled with the popping sound as Neal removed the cork from the wine and looked over his shoulder at her. “It is.”  He poured them both a glass of wine then and playfully smirked at her as he handed it to her.  “Mozzie is interesting.”

She took the glass and swirled the contents briefly. “So Jones said.”

It was Neal’s turn to raise his eyebrow then. “Jones mentioned Mozzie?”

“He did.  It was briefly, but he said he was an interesting character.” Rachel brought the wine glass to her lips then and took a small sip.  The flavor enveloped her senses as she stepped out onto Neal’s terrace. The cool night air was sure to keep her awake as it danced across her skin, leaving gooseflesh in its wake. Her gaze turned towards the sparkling skyline then and was struck by just how lucky he had to be if he managed to have a life like this.  Yes, he was a criminal and there was no doubt in her mind that he still was one, but he was living the good life.  This was far better than her tiny and cramped apartment.  She was barely even home to enjoy it.

Neal sipped his wine.  “Well, that’s interesting.  What other trade secrets has Jones been spilling?”

“Now isn’t that between me and Jones?” Rachel slid her tongue against the inside of her teeth before she smirked.  It was interesting for her to see this side of Neal.  It was all very new.

A chuckle fell from the conman’s lips and Rachel couldn’t help but notice the sparkle in his eyes nearly matched the sparkle of the New York skyline.  This may have seemed unreal to her, but this life he was living in was where he belonged. At the Bureau she hadn’t been able to see it, but now she could.  Neal leaned against the stone wall near the glass doors and remained silent once the laughter died away.  It was as though he was still trying to process what she’d said.  “I suppose,” he finally murmured before he sipped his wine.

“We all have our own secrets,” Rachel retorted as she nursed her own glass of merlot.

It would have been impossible to miss the way Neal’s eyebrows arched in surprise.  “Oh really?  Care to share?”

Softly she sighed as her gaze turned towards the skyline once more before she sank into one of Neal’s patio chairs. The evening breeze left gooseflesh along her skin, but it wasn’t the wind that froze her.  It was the chilling memories of all things gone wrong. “Maybe another time.”

Before she realized he was moving Neal caught her hand in his, much to her surprise.  “We all have our ghosts,” he replied sadly before he finished off his wine.

Rachel swirled the remaining contents of her glass and sighed, but she did not pull her hand away from Neal’s. She finished the wine and allowed the taste to flow over her tongue to be savored.  It took time but Rachel finally found the will to speak when her blue eyes locked on his.  “Who was yours?”

“Her name was Kate.”

Slowly she nodded.  Rachel had read the file.  She knew about Kate Moreau.  She knew the whole story and yet hearing it from his lips almost made it feel like something new.  “The turning point in your life.”

“In many ways,” Neal agreed.  He disappeared into the apartment then for a few moments only to return with the wine bottle.  He topped off his own glass and Rachel’s with a sigh.  “And your turning point?”

The sweet scent of the wine assaulted her senses and her eyes fluttered closed.  Those memories plagued her.  She was trying to get back to where she thought she belonged.  It seemed impossible.  Proving herself after everything had happened was hard enough, but now with the darkness tempting her more and more with each passing day, Rachel had never felt more lost. “His name was Tim.”

“Lost love?”

Again she savored a sip of the wine and mulled over Neal’s question before finding her voice.  “Lost partner.”

The moment Rachel’s gaze lifted she could see the realization wash over Neal like the ocean lapping at the shore. She could see the understanding and the pain in his eyes which made her wonder if he was imagining his own feelings should something tragic ever befall Peter Burke.  “It wasn’t your fault,” he whispered after what seemed like years, breaking the spell of traffic and sirens in the distance.

Humorlessly a laugh slipped passed her lips. “Do you blame yourself for Kate?”

“I did.”  The reply was almost instant.  The lack of hesitation gave Rachel pause and her attention firmly focused on the man seated beside her on the terrace.  Neal ran his fingers through his dark hair and shook his head before continuing. “For years I thought it was my fault. I took the blame and constantly asked myself what I could have done differently to save her.” He reached out then and Rachel was surprised when his hand closed around hers.  “Do you know what I realized?”

Her brow rose slightly and she made no move. His touch was comforting and welcome despite not being completely expected.  Rachel didn’t want to lose that.  Her eyes locked on his and her voice felt weak when she finally found it. “What?”

“It doesn’t matter.  You can tear yourself up inside but it’s not going to change anything.  The past can’t be fixed. Replaying it in our heads doesn’t solve anything.”  His thumb brushed along the back of her hand and he smiled sadly at her.  The comforting gesture was enough to bring a smile to her lips in a mirror gesture.  “You can’t fix the past, but you can build yourself a better future.”

Years of training told her she shouldn’t trust him. He was a conman, but the sincerity in his eyes was enough to convince her that maybe, just maybe, Neal was right. “It was easier to build a better future when my path was clearly laid out.  Now it feels like I’m lost.  It’s too easy to toe across that line and then I’d never get back from it.” The glass met her lips again briefly and the wine helped loosen her senses to everything around her. “He kept me straight. It’s just too easy to give into the darkness.”

Surprisingly, a cheeky grin formed on Neal’s lips and he gave her hand a slight squeeze.  “Someone else can do that for you now, Rachel.  I promise.”  He sighed then and when their eyes met once more Rachel was forced to wonder how it was possible a conman could have a heart of gold.  “Peter has been that person for me for a very long time.  Maybe I’ve learned enough,” he suggested. “Maybe I can be it for you.”

It was almost laughable to think that a criminal could keep her on the straight and narrow, but it was a different kind of darkness that tempted her.  Neal loved the thrill of tricking people.  He loved the finer things in love.  She loved the thrill of hurting the few for the good of many.  It was why she’d excelled in the counterterrorism division and it was why she was floundering at white collar.  Perhaps he could temper her rage.  Maybe, just maybe, this was exactly what she needed.

“Maybe you can be,” she murmured as her lips curled up.

It was the beginning of something that Rachel couldn’t identify.  They could help each other and perhaps life could finally return to normal.  There was a long way to go.  Marks on her record wouldn’t fade overnight, but something in her gut told her it was the beginning of a new chapter.  She’d finally found where she belonged.  It was reassuring to think that just maybe things would turn out all right. After so many things had gone wrong in her life it was difficult to think that anything could ever go according to plan.

Neal’s hand gave hers a reassuring squeeze but she didn’t flinch away like she was so prone to doing.  Instead she sighed and allowed herself to believe in a chance for something better.  “I think,” Neal said, “You need to cut yourself some slack.  If you keep pushing you’ll just break under the pressure of it all.”

Rachel brought her glass to her lips and sipped the wine.  “Speaking from experience?”

“I might know a thing or two.”

Her delicate brow rose and watched as Neal finished off the wine in his glass.  “Really?” In some ways she didn’t doubt it, but in others she did.  It was almost impossible for her to imagine a version of cutting him some slack that didn’t involve excessive amounts of wine or fancy hotel rooms.

The cool evening breeze picked up once more and Rachel shivered, but kept her chill mostly in check.  As she did so, Neal leaned forward and smiled at her. Running his fingers through his hair she watched as he put his elbows on his knees.  “You’re going to have to trust me someday, Rachel.”

Mirroring his position, their knees almost touched. Blue eyes locked on blue and a tight-lipped smile formed on Rachel’s lips.  “Maybe I already do.”  It was true, in some small ways.  He was just like her and if she couldn’t trust herself then who could she trust? That was a question that had plagued her for years.  Trust was hard to come by. It had to be earned. Although she couldn’t put her finger on why, Rachel felt like he earned it on their assignment. Maybe he’d just proved himself in her eyes. Perhaps that was all she needed.

“Oh really?”  The surprise in his tone was obvious but Rachel ignored it. She focused on the sound of traffic four floors below, the rustle of leaves when the breeze picked up, and the sound of her own breathing.  The blood was pounding in her ears.  She could hear it and wanted it to stop but at the same time, when Neal reached up and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear gently, she didn’t want it to.

Dropping her gaze briefly from his eyes to his lips, Rachel nodded then refocused her attention. “Yeah…”

There was a glimmer of something she couldn’t identify in Neal’s eyes then.  She couldn’t be sure if it was compassion or hope.  It might have been sympathy or mere interest.  Every emotion possible sped through her head but she couldn’t place it, or at least that was the case until Neal’s gaze dropped to her lips. It was unexpected and she swore to herself that line was one she wouldn’t cross.  She needed to be professional.  She needed to get back to where she belonged, but when Neal’s lips touched hers, Rachel swiftly began realizing that maybe this was where she belonged.

For a few moments it was easy to get caught up in the kiss.  She lost herself in it and allowed herself some time just to feel.  Instincts ruled over thoughts and there wasn’t a care in the world while Rachel ran her fingers through his hair.  It had been so long since she allowed herself this. In the beginning she had sworn that she wouldn’t be another notch on Neal Caffrey’s bedpost, but there was an overwhelming sense of understanding that came with his presence. So, when his tongue swiped her lips she parted them.  The kiss deepened and eventually with alcohol fueling them, Neal pulled her into his lap. She went easily, without protest, and gave into those carnal urges that seemed to rampage throughout her body.

It had been too long since she felt alive. Her life had been nothing but a quest to earn back her place and it was sucking the life out of her. Peter was right. She and Neal were two of a kind, now that was clear.  Deftly her fingers worked the buttons on Neal’s shirt and her broke the kiss with a smirk. “You’re drunk?”

She shook her head and pressed a kiss to his lips. “No.  Are you?”  It was one glass of wine.  It took far more than that to impair her judgment.  The sultry look she shot him should have been enough proof of that.

“Nope.”

Rachel grinned.  “Perfect.”

“I thought so,” Neal murmured before he kissed her. His hands gripped her thighs as he hoisted her up and stood to carry her inside from the terrace. There was a line that they shouldn’t have crossed but Rachel didn’t care anymore.  She’d crossed worse lines and come back from it. This was what she needed to put it all in the past.  No one could truly deny her that.

So, when his lips ghosted along her pulse point and she felt his hands on the small of her back, Rachel felt whole. There were times in life when you needed to do things for yourself, damn the consequences.  This was one of those times.  Clothes came off and left a trail from the terrace to Neal’s bed. Maybe it was alcohol-fueled lust, but something in her gut told her it was more than that. They’d danced around it at work for months.  The breaking point had been reached.  It was now or never. She couldn’t be scared. They both just needed a little faith.

With Neal’s lips on hers, drinking in her kisses, it felt like they finally found it.  All she could do now was hope it would last.

-

Sunlight streaming in through the windows was the first thing to stir her awake.  The next thing she noticed was the soft kisses Neal was planting on her freckle-dusted shoulder. “Mmm,” she mumbled sleepily. “Morning.”  Turning to look back at him she couldn’t help but mirror the smile on his lips.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

There were a lot of things that Rachel thought would never happen and feeling so content about waking up in Neal’s arms was one of them.  It had been a long time since she felt like this but she knew this was something she could get used to. Neal’s hand slid along her side beneath the sheet and came to rest on the curve of her hip.  He pulled her closer and she released a throaty noise in response. “Neal…”

He leaned in and kissed her then, his thumb lightly brushing along her cheekbone.  For a few moments it was simple, quiet, and intimate before he pulled back. “Yeah?”

Reluctantly she pulled away.  “We shouldn’t have done that.  The Bureau has policies…”

He chuckled.  “Last time I checked I was a consultant, not an agent.” The pad of his thumb lightly brushed her lower lip.  “Don’t worry so much. Everything is going to be fine.” Subconsciously her brow rose and she sighed.  Rachel was far too used to the things in her life not working out the way she had planned for them to. It was frustrating and she was tired of picking up the pieces.  “Just trust me,” Neal reassuringly said.

“Okay, but I should get ready. I’ll need to head home and change before Peter calls us into work.”

“Mm…” Neal lightly squeezed Rachel’s hip and nodded. “Probably, I’m sure Jones has a pool going on how long it would take for us to hook up.”

“You think?”

Neal sat up and shrugged.  “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

Laughing, Rachel pulled on Neal’s discarded shirt from the night before.  “I guess I’ll have to keep an eye on him, won’t I?”

“It might not hurt.”

As she slipped out of bed she could feel Neal’s gaze on her but it didn’t bother her.  In the beginning she had her walls up, but Neal surprised her by slipping through the cracks.  He understood and she would always be grateful for that.  “I’ll keep it in mind.”

Her bare feet padded across the hardwood floor intent on heading for the kitchen, when the knock at the door stopped her in her tracks.  One quick glance in Neal’s direction reassured her it was probably his landlady, or Mozzie, so she tiptoed towards the door and opened it just a crack.  However, the person standing there was the farthest from who she had expected.

Her back straightened and she was suddenly very aware of exactly what she was wearing.  “Peter…”

That one word sent Neal into a frenzy as she saw him hop out of bed and pull on some lounge pants out of the corner of her eye.

Peter was grimacing as she kept the door firmly in place, praying silently that he couldn’t see her choice of attire. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he retorted before he shook his head.  “I really don’t want to know though.”

Neal suddenly appeared at her shoulder and she breathed a sigh of relief.  “It’s not,” Neal started but one hard look from Peter let that façade fall away. “Alright it is.”

Her cheeks flushed red and she disappeared behind the door.

“I don’t care what it is.  Both of you meet me at the office.  We’ve got another case.”

Neal nodded.  “Of course.”

Peter turned away then but stopped shortly. “And Neal?”

“Yeah?”

She peeked around the door just in time to see Peter grin.  “Tell Jones I won the bet.” With that, Peter walked away and Rachel had never felt more embarrassed in her life.  If there was one saving grace it was the knowledge that with everything that had happened in her life, she had balance and that was all anyone could ask for.


End file.
